Tank turret control



Aug. 29, 1950 MARCY 2,520,420

TANK TURRET CONTROL Filed May 7,'1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 GUNNEfiS CONTROL snnwou OUTPUT SHAFT IN V EN TOR. HENRY TYLER MARGY BY a. emmwm ATTORNEYS Aug. 29,-1950 H. T. MARCY TANK TURRET CONTROL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 TANK COMMANDER'S Filed May '7, 1945 STATION 8 MM N mm 3 n T 0 N I 3 wai B I 2 B Illll 6 mm 11.. I. D n v M 0. N 2 6 l E mm 2 7L 4 O l S 4 u u w 5 g r R 4 4 i mm um 2 "k UM INVENTOR. HENRY TYLER MARCY W m m A a i atenteci Aug. 29,

TANK TURRET "CONTROL Mass-M1? bridge, Mals s.

Applicofion Maw, 1945, Sella No. 552,391

(01314 4 72) aig c di s plaggrgeljlt oi the manual control member sm osi on f'xei qn r iwn mmax aq a i ihe fnl l win clutch element 26, the drawing showing this member disengaged from the element 26. The pin 36 is spring-loaded so as to yield resiliently if the clutch member 46 is shifted toward the element 26 when the cavity 38 is not in line with the pin 36.

The clutch member 46 also includes a second disk having a cavity 42 adapted to receive a spring-loaded pin 44 projecting from the face of a gear wheel 46 which also is co-axial with the shaft I6 but not secured thereto. A clutch lever 48 is rockably mounted at 56 and engages between the discs of the clutch member 46 so as to shift this member into alternative engagement with the clutch element 26 or the gear wheel 46. The arrangement is such that member 46 is never in engagement with element 26 and gear 46 at the same time. A suitable spring 52 is attached to the lever 48 in such a manner as to press the clutch member 46 toward engagement with the gear wheel 46. A solenoid 54 is attached to the lever 48 and is adapted, when energized, to rock the lever 48 against the tensionof the spring 52 so as to move the clutch member 46 toward the clutch element 26. The clutch member 46 will then operatively engage the element 26 if or when the pin 36 is in line with the cavity 38. The disc of the clutch member 46 which contains the cavity 38 is provided with peripheral gear teeth which are constantly in mesh with the teeth of a gear wheel 56 regardless of the position of the clutch member 46. The gear wheel 56 is mounted on a shaft 58 on which are also mounted a pinion 66 and a gear wheel 62. wheel 64 which is on a shaft 66 with the sliding contact element 68 of a potentiometer I6 hereinafter described. The gear wheel 62 meshes with a rack I2 which controls a ball-disc transmission consisting essentially of a disc I4, a rotatable cylinder I6 and a ball driv I8 contained in a carriage 86 which is connected directly to the rack I2. A transmission of this type is suitable for low-energy speed control. The disc i4 is mounted on the shaft 62 of an electric motor 64, the field winding of which is indicated at 86, the rotor being indicated at 88. This motor is preferably small and is constructed so that it quickly starts and stops when the current thereto is turned on and off. By means of a shunt resistance 89 and the variable resistance E6, the desired range of speeds of the motor is obtained.

When the ball drive I8 is in the center of the disc I4, there is no rotation thereof by the disc. When the ball drive I8 is displaced from the center of the disc by a movement of the rack I2, it will be rotated in one direction or the other by the disc and will impart rotation to the cylinder I6, the direction of such rotation depending on whether the rack moves up or down from the neutral position. The cylinder 16 is mounted on a suitable shaft 96 which also carries a gear wheel 92 meshing with a corresponding gear 94 on a shaft 96 on which also is mounted the gear wheel 34. Thus, if the rack I2 is moved from its neutral position by angular displacement of the clutch member 46 from its neutral position, the motor 84 will cause the rotation of the gear wheel 34 at a speed depending in part on the amount of displacement of the rack 12 from its neutral position. If the handwheel I6 is held stationary the rotation of the gear wheel 34,

transmitted through the differential gear 26,'will produce a corresponding rotation of the output shaft 36. Preferably, the gear ratios 'in the The pinion 66 meshes with a gear 4 mechanism are so selected that the maximum rate of rotation of the output shaft 36 which can be brought about by manual operation of the handwheel I6 is considerably less than the maximum rate of rotation of the output shaft by the motor 84. Hence, manual operation of the handwheel I6 can modify but not overcome the rotation of the output shaft by the motor when the latter is operated at slewing speeds.

As hereinafter described, the finger lever I4 on the gunners handwheel operates an electric switch by which the circuit for energizing the solenoid 54 can be closed by the gunner, subject to the ability of the commander to de-energize the solenoid at any time. At the commander's station is a control handle I66 which is rockable on a pivot axis I62 to reciprocate a link I64 which extends to a gear wheel I 66 to the director mechanism. This gear wheel is connected by a gear train I68 to the gear wheel 46 which is operatively connectable with the clutch member 46 and is normally connected therewith. A finger lever III] is provided on the handle I66 operating a switch-to enable the commander to prevent the gunner from energizing the solenoid or to de-energize the solenoid if it has already been energized, as hereinafter described. Thus the commander can at any time rotate the clutch member 46 so as to shift the rack I2 from its normal position and thus to cause the motor 84 to drive the output shaft 36 at any desired speed within the performance limits of the apparatus.

A spring centering device H4 is provided to oppose yieldingly any movement of the clutch member 46 from its neutral position and to exert a restoring force when the clutch member is'displaced from its neutral position. The centering spring gives a feel of resistance to the operator who is operating the speed control and enables him to judge the magnitude of the speed by the amount of resistance felt on the handwheel I6 or manual lever I66.

It is evident that the ratio of the angular speed 'of rotation of the cylinder I6 to the speed of rotation of the motor shaft 82 will vary as the distance of displacement of the ball-drive I8 from the center of the disc I4, this distance of displacement being in turn proportional to the angular displacement of the clutch member 46 from its neutral position. According to the invention, the apparatus is designed to cause the motor 88 to'speed up when the ball drive is moved from the center of the disc I4. This may conveniently be done by the use of the potentiometer I6 by which maximum resistance is in the rotor circuit I I2 of the motor 84 when the sliding contact element 68 is at the midpoint of the potentiometer coil I6, this occuring when the clutch member 46 is in its neutral position. Whenever the clutch member 46 is rotated in either direction from its neutral position, the sliding contact 68 moves to reduce the resistance in the rotor circuit I I2 and hence to cause an increase of speed of the motor 84 and of the disc I4. The more the clutch member 46 is turned from its neutral position the greater will be this increase in speed of the motor 84. At the same time, the rack 72 displaces the ball-drive 18 from the center of the from its neutral position and the speed ofrotation'of the gear wheel 34 which is drivenfrom the cylinder 16. The nature of this curvilinear amen response. is, dependent. on the. ratio. of. the maximl ln speed. to the min m m spe d or the m to .4;, "Hence, small, displacements. of the clutch member 4d result, in rotation. of, theoutput shaft 301 at} very low speeds but,increased dis-placement off the, clutch member 41! results in very much higher; speeds orrotationof the output shaft, In Figure 2 is shown a wiring. diagram. of. the electrical. connections. employed with the-apparat'us,indicatedlinEig ire.1.1 Asuitable source of electricar energy, such as, a. battery L20, is, provided to. operate, the electrical parts of the appa ratus. As shown, one terminal. of, the battery is. grounded; theother. terminal being. connected through. a. main. switch ill, to. a wire. l.22.'which remains; charged as. long. as the switch iii is closed The, wire. I22; leads to.'the fieldcoil 86 of the, motor iill Branching from the wire I22 are. two. Wires; L24}, I26; which are constantly charged" when the main, switch is closed, Of tlrlese, the. wire. 1.2"4'. leads'to. a, terminal I23. in a control". switch at the commanders station. The Wire, 1255', leads, to a. terminal. of a. switch. I38. at the. gunnerfs. station which. is operated, by the finger lever; IA, on thehandwheel. ll]. The other terminal, lEjlj of, this; switch is connected by a wire [.321 to aterminal. B34 in, a switch i361 and also to a terminal. l3il ofv attic-way switch MD, the. other terminal, 123.01 which. is connected to the. Wire, 24,,both. oi these switchesv I36, I49

being, operable together by. the finger lever liil at the commandersstation. Ifhe other terminal ofjthe switch, ['35. is connected by awire I42; to the. solenoid 54. around. which is shunted a. re sistance, 14.4 to. prevent, excess voltage, from building upinthe solenoidupon switchingj The switch Hill; is, connected, by a wire 146 to the poten iometer ill...

, When the, unner is-using the handwheel ill for. positional control, the switches at the two stationsqare. as indicated. in Figure 2, and no current flows throughthe, chargedwires E24 and I25. It the gunner, however; wishes to employ speed controLhe. closes the switch limby pressing on lever l4, and, moves thehandwheel [ii to itsneutrahpositiorr in which: the pin 36 is in line with the cavity 38. The closing of the switch I39 starts the motor. 84 and also closes the circuit through the solenoid 54. The latter causes the clutch member ltto engage the element Zil, thus operatively connecting the shaft 58 with the handwheelx It. The gunner can now, by turning the handwheel In one way or the other from the neutral; position, move the 1 potentiometer contact EBand shift the ball-drivelB from the center of the disc so as to cause rotation of the. output shaft acat speeds depending on the angular positionof. the handwheel l;

Regardless of whether the gunner is using positional control or speed control, the commanden canat any time talsecharge of the. speed control apparatus by pressing. the finger lever Mil to;- open the switch I38 and shift the, switch MD from contact at i323 to contact I28. Since the switch H6 is in the solenoid circuit, the opening of this switch prevents the gunner from closing this circuit or opens the circuit if it has already been closed through the switch I38. At the same time, the switch member hill shifts from the terminal B8 to the terminal E28, thus establishing or maintaining a circuit through the battery I20, the potentiometer and the rotor 88. Release of the finger lever I it returns control to the gunner. It will be understood that switch memher 136 never engages terminal I38.

Lola-1m;

1.. Control apparatus of the. class; described comprising an output, shaft, an electric,.motor, means including: avariable speed. transmission device connecting said motor and shaft, a member movable tovary the speed ratio of said trans.- mission device, a potentiometer operable to vary the, speed of said motor, two manual control membersr each operatively connectiblev to said movable member and potentiometer, a. twoeway clutch arranged to connecteither ofsaid manual members with saidmovable member and potentiometer, and an electric. switch on each said manual member operable tostart. said motor..

2; Control apparatus of the class, described comprising an output shaft, an electric motor operatively connected to said shaft for rotation thereof at selected speeds, means forchanging the speeds of rotation of said shaft, two. manual control members, a two-way clutch. normally. connecting one of said, manual members-to said speed-changing means, means on the other manualmember normally operable. to shiftsaid clutch to connect, the samewith. said other manual memberfor controlthereby. of the speed-changing means, and means. operable to; retainer re.- gain control by the first. said, manual. member.

3.. Control apparatus of the class described comprising. anoutput. shaft, two input. elements for imparting, rotation, to said shaft, a. differential gear connecting said input elements. with said shaft whereby, the shaft. responds. to. the algebraic sum of. the inputs. of said elements a. firstmanual control member mechanically con.- nected to oneof saidinput elementswhereby all movements of, said manual member are trans.- mitted. to. said difierential gear, an. electric. motor, means including a variable speeddevi'ce connecting, saidI motor to. the other said input element, a. potentiometer device for controlling. the-speed of. said motor, means including. a clutch element connected tosimuitaneously operate said potentiometer and. variable speed device to vary the speed. of. saidother input elementin response to rotation of saidclutchelement ineither direction from a. neutral. position, a. second. manualv control membernormally. connected. to said. clutch element, means including, a solenoid. for shifting. said clutch element from its normal operative connection withzsaidsecond manual member into connection with, said. first manual control. member, an electric switchon said first manual, member operable to close energizing circuits to said solenoid and said motor, and a switch on said second manual member operable to open the solenoid circuit and to, close the motorcircuit.

4. Ina variable speed control, an output shaft, an electric motor, a drive from saidmotorto said shaft and including a variable speed device, a potentiometer, first means operable to adjust said variable-speed device-and saidpotentiometer in unison, first and second control members, a two-way clutch, second means urgingsaidlclutch. into a position connecting said second. control member with said first means, a solenoid operable when energized to move said clutch into a position connecting said first control member with said first means, against the action of said second means, a first circuit for energizing said motor, and including said potentiometer, a second circuit for energizing said solenoid and including first and second switch means at said first and second control members, respectively, said second switch being operable to open said second circuit while maintaining said first circuit closed.

5. in a variable speed drive, an output shaft, a differential having one element connected to said shaft, a motor, a driving connection between said motor and a second element of said differential, said connection including a variable speed device, a manually operable member for driving said output shaft, and connections from said manually operable member to adjust said variable speed device and to a third element of said differential.

6. In a control apparatus, a movable output member, a differential having one element connected to move said member, manually operable means connected to drive a second element of said differential, power-driven means including a variable speed device connected to drive a third element of said differential, a disconnectable drive operable to adjust the speed ratio of said variable speed device in response to actuation of said manually operable means, and means carried by said manually operable means to connect and disconnect said drive.

7. Control apparatus of the class described comprising, an output shaft, a handwheel, means including a differential gear mechanically connecting said handwheel and said output shaft, power means connected to drive said output shaft through said differential, and including a variable speed device, and means responsive to actuation of said handwheel for simultaneously varying the speed of said power means and the drive ratio of said variable speed device to thereby effect rotation of said output shaft in nonlinear relation to the rotation of said handwheel.

8. In a control apparatus for tank turrets, an output shaft adapted to be connected to rotate said turret, power means, a driving connection between said power means and shaft, including a variable speed device, first means operable to vary the speed ratio of said device, second means operable to vary the speed of said power means, first and second spaced manual controls, a clutch normally connecting said first control to simultaneously operate said first and second means,

and means including an actuatable part on said I second control to operate said clutch to disconnect said first control from said first and second means and to connect said second control with said first and second means.

9. The combination specified in claim 8, said driving connection also including a differential between said variable speed device and said output shaft, and a driving connection between said second manual control and said differential.

10. In a control apparatus for turrets, an output shaft adapted for connection to angularly move said turret, a differential having one element connected to drive said shaft, a first manually operable control member connected to drive a second element of said differential, a motor, a driving connection from said motor to a third element of said differential said connection including a variable speed device, means operable to vary the speed of said motor, a two-way clutch 8 having one element connected to simultaneously adjust said variable speed device and said means, a second manually operable control member remote fromsaid first control member, and means controllable at said second manual control member and operable to selectively and alternatively connect said clutch element for operation by either of said members.

11. In a control apparatus for tank turrets, an output shaft adapted for connection to rotate said turret, a motor, a driving connection between said motor and shaft, including a variable speed device, a clutch comprising first, second and third members, said first member being connected to said variable speed device to vary the speed ratio thereof, first and second spaced manual controls permanently connected to said second and third members, respectively, means normally connecting said first and second clutch members and means controllable at said second manual control and operable to disconnect said first and second clutch members and to connect said first and third clutch members.

12. In a control apparatus of the character described, an output shaft, an electric motor, first means connecting said motor to drive said shaft and including a variable speed device, a potentiometer connected to vary the speed of said motor, second means connected to operate said variable speed device and said potentiometer in unison, two manually operable control members, a two-way clutch operable to connect either of said control members to said second means, spring means urging said clutch into position connecting a selected one of said control members with said second means, a solenoid operable when energized to operate said clutch against the urge of said spring means to connect the other of said control members to said second means, a circuit for controlling said motor and solenoid, said motor circuit including said potentiometer, and switches adjacent each said control member for opening and closing said circuits, the switch at one control member being operable to open the circuit to said solenoid.

' H. TYLER MARCY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 657,516 Coleman Sept. 11, 1900 1,019,091 Sacerdoti Mar. 5, 1912 1,399,038 Valois Dec. 6, 1921 2,086,030 Hodgson July 6, 1937 2,171,715 Sinclair Sept. 5, 1939 2,294,786 Lear Sept. 1, 1942 2,300,516 Klein Nov. 3, 1942 2,365,982 Trofimov Dec. 26, 1944 2,384,043 Papello Sept. 4, 1945 2,392,889 Tear Jan. 15, 1946 

